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Teacher Tips

Are you looking for more ways to build vocabulary with students who use AAC devices?

Using AAC More in the Classroom

    Recently we challenged our readers to start using AAC more in the classroom to ensure that every student has choice and voice. Hopefully you had an opportunity to download the freebie associated with that challenge. If not click here to read the article and get a free AAC tool to incorporate into your classroom.
    Did you rock out that challenge?
    Are you looking for more ways to build vocabulary with students who use AAC devices?
    We’ve got some great ideas for you!

    Are you looking for more ways to build vocabulary with students who use AAC devices? We've got some great ideas for you!
    Read More »Using AAC More in the Classroom

    The Supreme Court found that we need to do more than de minimis… but what does that even mean? 5 Ways to Guarantee you’re more than minimus!

    IEP De Minimis

      The Supreme Court found that we need to do more than de minimis… but what does that even mean?

      5 Ways to Guarantee you’re more than minimus to keep your IEPs out of court!

      iep de minimis

      The Supreme Court found that we need to do more than de minimis… but what does that even mean? 5 Ways to Guarantee you’re more than minimus!

      Supreme Court Ruling in a Nutshell

      Several federal laws established how we educate students with significant disabilities. That includes IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education). The United States Supreme Court heard the Endrew F. vs. Douglas County School District case and ruled providing FAPE requires we “enable the child to make progress appropriate in light of his circumstance”.

      That, my friend, is as clear as mud. I have heard campus administrators, classroom teachers, and parents of students with disabilities all talking about how this ruling will revolutionize how we educate students with significant disabilities. I, however, am not sure there will be much of a change.

      In order to shed some light on the subject, let’s break this down.

      Read More »IEP De Minimis

      Not sure how to ignore bad behavior, reward good behavior, and teach replacement behavior… well, read on!

      Ignore Bad Behavior Reward Good

        “I have a student with some pretty bad behaviors.

        How do you reward the good behavior if he’s also doing bad behaviors at the same time?”

        -Allison H.

        Ignore Bad Behavior, Reward Good!

        I feel you Allison. You want to reward a student for not hitting except he is pulling your hair (that, by the way, actually happened to me). Just today I was trying to praise a student for sitting while he pulled on my clothes and arms (*ouch*).

        So, what do you do?

        Not sure how to ignore bad behavior, reward good behavior, and teach replacement behavior… well, read on!

        Read More »Ignore Bad Behavior Reward Good

        IEP Goal Bank

          IEP Goal Bank for Autism Units, LID, or PMLD

          I have been there. I really have. You are sitting in front of a computer screen tasked with writing IEP goals for a student. You sit there, glazed over, wondering what to write. And it’s not that you don’t know your students. It’s not that you’re unable to write good IEP goals. The thing is you’re just not sure where they should go next. Once they master a goal, what is the logical next step? You need an IEP goal bank!

          Read More »IEP Goal Bank
          Students LEARN to sit back and wait for someone else to do it for them. Read how to break learned helplessness in students with disabilities.

          Learned Helplessness in Students With Disabilities

            I will never, never forget a community trip with students to Taco Bell back in the day. My two paraeducators and I took about 10 severely disabled students out to eat. It took some time to get everyone through the line and I will never forget helping my favorite student, Cameron. I helped him get his food and walked him to a table. There were two more students I had to get through the line, so I left him to wait until I could come back and help him open his packages, cut up his food, and help feed him (because of limited mobility due to his severe Cerebral Palsy). I went back to the line and returned to him about 4 minutes later… and he was eating.

            Learned Helplessness in Students with Disabilities

            I asked my para team if they had helped him. Both said no. I looked at Cameron.
            “Who opened that for you?” He looked at me and laughed.
            “I did,” he said.

            My mouth dropped open. He has opened his taco and was eating- he had even opened up a packet of hot sauce and poured it on… and here we were opening everything and even feeding him!

            Students LEARN to sit back and wait for someone else to do it for them. Read how to break learned helplessness in students with disabilities.

             

            Read More »Learned Helplessness in Students With Disabilities

            Do you have a student tearing up your stuff, roaming the classroom, or picking their own scabs? Have you ever considered FIDGET TOYS? Read why it helps and some to try.

            Fidget Toys for Autism

              I was in a classroom a few years ago and the student was like the ball in a pinball machine! He was up and moving during my entire observation. There were moments where he could be cajoled into sitting and attending to a task, but they were few (very few), far between, and super short. The teacher looked at me needing help. Her job had become an exhausting workout.

              I left and came back the next day with a few ideas and some fidget toys. Guess what… it helped.

              Read More »Fidget Toys for Autism

              Do you have students who hit their heads and injure themselves? Here’s a guide to why they do and also how to help. Head Banging in Autism | NoodleNook

              Head Banging in Autism

                “I have a student in my class with pretty severe behaviors- he hits his head a lot. Like all the time. I feel bad when he goes home some days with huge red marks on his face, but I’m not sure what to do to get him to stop. What can I do?”
                – Kenneth J.

                Head Banging in Autism

                Kenneth, I feel you. It is pretty hard as a teacher to sit back and watch a kid seriously hurt themselves. Head banging in Autism is actually very common. There are a handful of tricks you can try to lessen the rate and severity of head-hitting, but first you want to try to figure out the reason behind the hitting.

                Read More »Head Banging in Autism